AN: So this is the one shot (haha) that I mentioned in the AN to the last chapter of Son of Mine. Those of you who did mention a preference all wanted to see something from the That American Girl universe and so here it is.
It is a prologue to the story The Affair. If you haven't read that yet (or read it and forgotten about it), I'd actually suggest you read this first before you read The Affair if you are interested in it.
This was supposed to be a one-shot but while writing it I somehow felt it would make more sense to divide this up into several (admittedly very short) chapters.
As I have written the complete story and only need to do a bit of proofreading I am fairly confident that I'll be able to update every second day.
Anyway, I hope that you like this story/prologue and I'd be very happy about a few reviews.
Dr. Clarkson
"Lord Grantham?" The man does not react. He has fallen asleep on the settee in the library, drink in hand. It is no surprise though, his wife has fought for her life the last four weeks and grew increasingly weaker. So weak in fact that Lord Grantham has had to stop his weekly trips to London. The Earl had protested a little and said something about business but it couldn't be helped. Lady Grantham was about to die and even in a marriage such as theirs, the husband cannot go on business trips to London when his wife is dying. Especially if the rumors that it is not only business that calls the husband to London are true.
Ever since he came to Downton about 10 years ago he has heard very silent rumors about the Earl of Grantham having an affair. At first he did not want to believe it, the man seemed so nice and honorable and no one ever said anything out loud. But sick people talk, especially at night and some tenants, some servants, some villagers mentioned that they felt sorry for 'his lordship, the poor man'. He did not understand what they meant until he had spent a year in the village. He met Lady Grantham a few times and to say that she was unpleasant was an understatement. The woman treated him like a piece of scum. He also noticed that Lady Mary, the only child of the Earl and Countess spent a lot more time at her grandmother's house than would have been considered usual.
"Dr. Clarkson," the Earl now says and gets up.
"I am sorry Lord Grantham, but your wife passed away in her sleep. My deepest condolences." Lord Grantham nods and says "Thank you. For everything." He is invited to stay for breakfast and a stranger breakfast he has never been part of. Old Lady Grantham, Mr. Crawley, and Mrs. Crawley have all come up from the village. They are all in mourning of course, the whole family is wearing black but there is an air of relief around them. Of course that in itself isn't so unusual, families often feel a sense of relief when a loved one who has suffered a long illness has died, but this is different. No one says anything but not because they are afraid of upsetting one another but because they are afraid of saying things they shouldn't be saying. No one seems to have cried, no one seems close to crying, none of the usual platitudes have been said so far.
When he leaves, Lord Grantham thanks him again, as would be proper. The whole family has behaved very proper just not very hurt or moved or sad. Not sad in the least. He shrugs his shoulders when he leaves the grounds; it is none of his business after all.